Tips For Helping to Support LGBT Adoptees
Since it’s Pride Month, it’s a great time for all of us to be thinking about how we can best support LGBT adoptees. While this might sound relatively straightforward, it’s important to keep in mind that supporting an LGBT adoptee is a lot more complicated than love alone.
Accept
One of the most important steps in your journey towards supporting your LGBT child is creating an environment where they feel accepted. One of the worst things a LGBT child can experience is questioning if they’ll still be accepted if they share an important part of their identity. Luckily, there are a number of things you can do as a parent to help to create an environment where your child feels open to embracing their identity. Little actions like using inclusive language and avoiding gender assumptions in day-to-day life can go a long way toward creating an environment where inclusion is the norm, not the exception.
Celebrate
Another one of the most important steps towards creating an inclusive environment is showing support for the LGBT community. A lot of people think that they are accepting because they don’t “judge” people in the LGBT community, but acceptance involves a lot more than this. Real acceptance comes from embracing members of the LGBT community. It’s important that we recognize our differences, but we celebrate them rather than treating them as “different” or “others.” An easy place to start in pursuit of this goal is through the media you keep around your house. Watch TV shows and movies that feature LGBT characters, and keep books around that highlight the LGBT community. While this is a small step, it’s the simple things that go a long way in creating an environment where your child can feel safe and accepted for who they are.
Listen
Perhaps the most important thing you can do to help create a safe and supportive environment is actually taking the time to listen. It’s ok for you not to have all the answers; it’s ok to not fully understand your child’s experience. What is really important is for your child to feel safe and heard when they talk to you. Your job isn’t to have every answer or be the expert; your job is to make your child feel validated and welcomed, no matter what their identity may be.
Embrace the Journey
Self-discovery and figuring out who you are isn’t easy for anyone, and it’s often even more difficult for members of the LGBT community. It’s also crucial to keep in mind that this process looks different for everyone. While supporting your LGBT child isn’t always going to be straightforward, following some of the advice that’s in this blog can go a long way in helping your LGBT child feel safe, accepted, valued, and loved in your house.
